The Education Statement.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 158, 26 June 1886, Page 5

The Education Statement.

Wellington", Juno 22. Tiik Premier delivered his statement as Minister of Education at the evening .sitting of the House of Representatives last night. After referring to the retirement of Dr. Hislop, he dealt wifeh the teaching inbtitutiona ot the colony in detail. The f-cholars in secondary schools number 2,578; fit primary tchoola, about So,ooo— the number actually on the rolls being 102,407. Ihe increase for the year was 5,169 He had no doubt we should, by degrees, get art schools established in every educational dietricr. Some attention had also been paid to technical education in the w ay o f familiarising the boys with the use of tools, and in some districts agricultural chemistry had been taught with success. In order to encourage the study of drawing and ecience among the teachers, the Government proposed to give bonuses of £5, £3, and £2 annually to those who pasted with honours the certifica examination in each of those section The num-

ber of children in the industrial schools and boarded out at the end of December was 1,146, an increape of 57. The main fault in our university system, he said, was that it regarded examination as tho beginning and end of the function of a university. H«3 reviewed the history of the University, aud said that except by ics examinations and scholarships it wae out of touch with the teaching of colleges atfiliated to it. Over them it had no control, and they could not guide in its relation?, or even make suggestions to ifc. If we had in New Zealaud the system of pay men c by results, or passes in standards as in England, the result would have been most calumitous. Overprenpure would not have been the only mischief. Children would have had their memories crammed, not their minds trained. He quoted the report of tho Royal Commission ot 1879, with its recommendation of a college in each of the four largo tow ns, and the abolition of convoca tion. It was necessary something should be done for Wellington, and it need not involve much expense. He had intended to introduce a bill this session, to give effect to the main recommendation ot the commission, but as the Senate had adjourned discussion of the report till next March, he thought it best to await the outcome of their deliberations. The abolition ot convocation, however, would require careful consideration. Briefly stated, his proposals were that Dunedin would be the besb suited for a Medical School, and Chriptchurch for the study of geology, mineralogy, natural philosophy, and mechanics, while the Lincoln Agricultural College might he brought more in accord with University teaching ; Auckland being peculiarly suited for maritime pursuits, should have an observatory, and take up the teaching of astronomy, navigation, and kindred studies. It could [ also be made the home of research for lanI guages and ethnology, a departmenthitherto neglected. Wellington being tho seat of Parliament, and Court of Appeal, should devote itself to jurisprudence, political science, and history. The time was also near when one of the colleger ought to take up the study of music. Thero were many reserves held by tho Churches which were originally meant for educational purposes, and tho time must come when Parliament would have to inquire how the?e trubts w ere being carried out. With regard to secondaiy schools, ho thought that they were equally out of touch with the colleges, and with the primary schools. Government had little power over them, and no funds to exercise any control. He considered a statute ought to be passed making the mode of government and the relation of the schools to the population uniform to the colony, but the existing endowments ougl'.t not to be disturbed, which would simply destroy them, He believed that our primary schools were gradually getting better. So long, however, as there was no direct control over the inspectms, so long would it be impossible to ascertain exactly , for the purpose of comparison, the result of the teaching in the various educational districts. The absence of unitormity in teaching, while rather advantageous than otherwise, was counterbalanced by a danger of adopting a mode of teaching 1 congenial to tho views of the inspectors. But whilo it was apparent that the children were being properly taught, much oug.it to ho allowed to the idiosyncrasy of the individual toucher, otheiwiae the &y?tem would become one of routine or cram. In none of the^chools he had visited did he find such a distinct impre.-s of teachers' individuality as he would have liked. Tho only remedy would be for the Boards to arrange for an interchange of inspector- Tho need ot technical education Mas hocoming slowly but. surely recognised. Posing reforenco \va3 made to tho Agricultuial hchool connected -with the Canterbury College, and to the piospect- of founding a forestry school at \Vhangaiei, which it via 3 believed would be of great advantage to the northern part of the Ix'orth Island. lie thought that if ench County Council weie empoueied to rtart a small model farm in the county it might be made salt =upport> inc. It would be, ho i nought, better to leave this to the oountiei than to empower the Education Cuai.in to interfere. If it weie .-nail.imV, a piece of land might be granted by the CJovomment, and the County Council might, at s-m ill expenditure, fetarrli model faim Tho State might assist by paying part of tho salary of the teacheis, leaving tho man igi-i to bo paid bv tho county, and leaving tho County Council to arrange for the boarding of pupih-, and cnargmg fee?. Schools for matmiactureo might bo staitcd i.i oik- pities. In the Municipal Act, power, should bo given to boroughs aud ernes to found schools, and he al a o proposed to in-ert in tho Counties Bill a similar piows-ion. These taimmg and technical schools could fit the scho'.na tor attempting higher educational moi k in the mmei&itics. The country distikts ldbouied under a disui\antago rompared with centics of population, own.g t<> i he latter having secondary schools. "The remedy for this was to give the country I schools highly educated teacheis-. and the timo mu-vfc como whon to tho bright and willing boys in eveiy country di.vfictj thereinust be opened the door of knowledge as wide a.« to dweller* in tho city;. He pointed out tho necessity for fuiiplo playgrounds, which w gi e the greatest engiiusfor promoting a true democracy. Rofening 1 to he '•aid tho greatest diversiun is allowed, and he believed the time would coon come when we shall be able to see one or more series ot reading-books prepared in j the colony for our tchools. Tho native t-chools were extending, and growing of great importance, and the older Mabiis were taking greater interest in tho induction of their children. The institution \ lor deaf mutes at Sumner was still ' doing good work, and our industrial pchools were, on the whole, in a very satisfactory position. He was in hope (hat orphanages under tho Charitable Aid Boards might ba established, or, at all events, sociotie* instituted to provide for oiphans by keeping them in orphanages ov boarding them out. He personally favoured j tho boarding - out system if properly | supervised, "as giving the chihhen iv home life, and better fitting then for (he sfcrue^lo of life. He proposed, while asking the tiou=c to voto the sums nn the estimates, to tako power in Appropriation Bill to redueo the vote by £4,000, if the Commitof Supply ropoiL that the Civil Seivica salaries are to be reJuofd. Ho was Sony to make such a pi o position, but tho Government musr keep faith with tho l[ou?e to cairy out what had been promised in the way ot retrenchment. A ppecch of some length was given by Mr Turnbull, who travel sod the whole eubject of education. In reply to vir Ormond, rho Premier said the dincut*ion on the Statement could ttiko place whon tho In at educational vote was considered. The full Edurvitiun Staloment is io be printed for public distribution.